Framingham, Marlborough agencies get state elder care contracts

Marlborough-based BayPath Elder Services and MetroWest Center for Independent Living, based in Framingham, are among 33 agencies statewide receiving contracts to help elders and people with disabilities transition from long-term care facilities to independent living.

By Staff reports

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Staff reports

Posted Nov. 20, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 20, 2013 at 8:19 PM

By Staff reports

Posted Nov. 20, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 20, 2013 at 8:19 PM

» Social News

Marlborough-based BayPath Elder Services and MetroWest Center for Independent Living, based in Framingham, are among 33 agencies statewide receiving contracts to help elders and people with disabilities transition from long-term care facilities to independent living.

A component of the Affordable Care Act, the program is an initiative of the federal Money Follows the Person (MFP) Rebalancing Demonstration Grant aimed to help states reduce their reliance on institutional long-term care and expand options for elders and people with disabilities.

Funding for the Massachusetts MFP demonstration comes from a five-year $110 million federal grant, which began in 2011.

The MFP initiative has already helped more than 400 individuals move out of nursing facilities and other long-term care settings and return to their homes and communities.

Provider organizations selected through recent contracts will allow the expansion of these services to help an additional 1,800 Massachusetts residents.

“These organizations have long histories of partnering with MassHealth to provide community services for our members,” Massachusetts Medicaid Director Kristin Thorn said in a statement. “Extending these partnerships allows the commonwealth to support our goal of Community First while reducing overall health care costs.”

Those qualifying for the MFP include Medicaid-eligible individuals in nursing facilities, chronic and rehabilitation hospitals, public health hospitals, intermediate care facilities for people with intellectual disabilities and certain psychiatric hospitals, who prefer to receive long-term services and supports in the community.